Electrical relay



March 24,- 1931. N; c. SHAW ELECTRICAL RELAY Filed N07. 5, 1928 INVENTOR c ,Sha w, BY

H ATTORNEY Fly. 2.

Patented Mar. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NOBLE C. SHAW, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA ELECTRICAL RELAY Application filed November 3, 1928.

My invention relates to electrical relays.

I will describe one form of relay embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a side View, partially sectioned, showing one form of relay embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the relay shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of one of the contact supports 7 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as it appears when viewed from the left in Fig. 1 along the plane of the contact springs 9. Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the bracket 18 shown in Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the relay comprises a top plate A which is made of suitable insulating material, such as porcelain or bakelite, and which carries an electromagnet B. The cores 1 of this electromagnet, only one of which is shown in the drawing, extend through the top plate A, and terminate on the underside of the plate in pole pieces 2. Secured to the sides of the pole pieces 2, by means of screws 1, is a hanger 3 of non-magnetizable material, such as brass. The hanger 3 carries two trunnion screws 5, on the ends of which is pivoted an armature 6 of suitable magnetizable material, such as silicon steel or Norway iron. I

Attached to the underside of the armature 6 by means of screws 8 are a plurality of contact spring supports 7, here shown as two in number, and one of which is illustrated in detail in Fig. 3. Each spring support 7 is made of suitable insulating material, such as porcelain or bakelite, and comprises two arms 7 and 7 joined together at one end by a web 7. The web 7 of each support is provided with a hole 7 which receives the shank of the associated screw 8, and with an integral pin 7 which enters a suitably located hole in the armature 6. The pin 7 prevents the contact support from turning on the screw 8, and thus holds the support in the desired predetermined position. In the form here shown, the arms 7 a and 7 of each support 7 extend downwardly and at an angle of approxlmately 45 with the plane of the web 7, and each such arm is provided at its lower end Serial No. 317,067.

with an outstanding wing 7 having a hole 7 and a shoulder 7. Each wing 7 carries a flat contact spring 9. A screw 10 extends downwardly through the hole 7 f in each wing and through the associated spring, and carr1es a nut 10 which clamps the spring to the support. The side of each spring 9 is engaged by the shoulder 7 of the associated wing, and is thereby held in proper alignment. The plane of the wings 7 d is inclined to the plane of the web 7 as best seen in Fig. 1, so that when the armature 6 is horizontal as shown in the drawing, the springs carried by the supports slope upwardly at an angle of approximately 15.

One advantage of a support constructed in accordance with my invention, is that only one support is required for each two contact springs and a considerable saving in material is therefore effected. Another advantage of a support constructed in this manner is that only one screw is required to fasten the support to the armature, and since each support carries two springs, a minimum amount of drilling and tapping of the armature is necessary. This results in a considerable saving in the cost of construction since the material from which the armature is made is very tough and is therefore difiicult as well as expensive to machine. Still another advantage of a support embodying my invention is that the construction of a relay embodying such support is comparatively simple, and the relay is therefore easy to assemble.

When electromagnet B is energized, armature 6 is held in the position in which it is illustrated in Fig. 1, and each of the contact springs 9 engages a fixed front contact 24 carried by a member 11 fastened to a terminal post 12. Vhen electromagnet B is de-energized, however, armature 6 drops down under the influence of gravity, and each of the contact springs 9 then engages a fixed back contact 13 fastened to a terminal post 14. Electrical connections are separately made to the contact springs 9 by means of flexible connectors 15, each of which is fastened at one end to a contact spring 9, and at the other end to a supporting strip 16 secured to a terminal post 17.

The reference character 18 designates a T- shaped bracket of non-magnetizable material, such as brass, which is fastened to the underside of top plate A by means of two screws 23, only one of which is visible in Fig. l. Screwed into the under side of this bracket is a non-magnetizable stud 19, which serves to limit the movement of the armature 6 toward the pole pieces when electromagnet B is energized. The bracket 18 also carries an adjustable non-magnetizable screw 21having a large head which projects under the lower edge of the armature to limit the movement of the armature away from the pole pieces when electromagnet B is de-energizec. The screw 21 may be locked in an adjusted position'by means of a lock nut22. Gne advantage of this construction is that if the stop l9 shou ld become worn, the stop may easily be removed and replaced by a new step. Another advantage of this construction is that one bracket serves as a support for both the stop 19 and the screw 21. Still another advantage of this construction is that the screw 21 is easily accessible when the relay is assembled, and may therefore be readily justed without removing parts of the relay.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of electrical relay enibodying my invention,-it is ui'iderstood that various changes and modifications may be made there-in within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A relay comprising a movable armature, a contact spring support of insulating material fixed to said armature and comprising two parallel arms, two contact springs one a tached to each said arm, and two fixed contacts one co-acting with each said spring.

2. A relay comprisinga movable armature; a contact spring support of insulating material having a web attached to said armature, an arm integral with said web and extending downwardly therefrom at an angle of substantially 45 with the plane of said web, and an integral wing on the lower end of said arm; and a fiat contact spring attached to said wing and inclined upwardly at an angle of approximately 15 with the plane of said armature.

3. A relay comprising a movable armature provided with a hole; a contact spring support having a flat web attached to said armature and provided with an integral pin projecting into the hole in said armature, an arm extending downwardly from said web and at an angle with the plane of the web, an integral Wing extending outwardly from said arm in a plane which is inclined upwardly at an angle with the plane of the web, and an integral shoulder on said wing; and a flat contact spring attached to said wing and engag ing said shoulder.

4.. A relay comprising a movable armature; a contact spring support of insulating mate rial comprising two arms joined together at one end by a web, two integral wings one on the free end of each said arm, and two integral shoulders one on each said wing; two contact springs one attached to each said wing and engaging the associated shoulder,'and means for fixing said support to said armature.

5. A relay comprising a movable armature provided with a hole, a contact spring support of insulating material comprising two arms joined together by a web, means for fastening said support to said armature, a pin integral with said web and extending into: said hole in saidarmaturc to hold said support in a redetermined position, two'wings one integral with each said arm, two shoulders one integral with each said wing, and two contact springs one attached to each said wing and engaging the associated shoulder.

6. A relay comprising a movable armature provided with-a hole; a contact spring support having a flat web attached to said armature, a pin integral with said web and projecting into the hole in said armature, two parallel arms extending downwardly from said web and at an angle of approximately 45 with the plane of said web, two wings one integral with the lower end of each said arm and each having a plane surface which is inclined upwardly at an angle of substantially 15 with the plane of said web, and two shoulders'one integral with each said wing; two contact springs, and means for clamping one of said springs against the plane surface of each said wing with the side of the spring enthe associated shoulder.

' 7. A relay comprising a movable armature, a contact spring support having a web'provided with a hole, a first screw extending through said hole for fastening said web to said armature, a first and second parallel rms extending downwardly from said web and at an angle of substantially 45 with the plane of the web, a first wing integral with the lower end of said first arm and located in a plane which makes an angle of approximately 15 with the plane of said web and provided with a hole, a second wing integral with the lower end of said. second arm and located in a. plane which makes an angle of approximately 15 with the plane of said web and provided with a hole, a first and a second contact springs each provided with a hole, a second screw extending through the hole in said first wing and the hole in said first contact spring for clamping said first spring to said first wing, a third screw extending through the hole in said second wing and the hole in said second spring for clamping said second spring to said second wing,

a first shoulder inte ral with said first wing and engaging the e ge of said first spring, a second shoulder integral with said second wing, and engaging the edge of said second spring, and two fixed contacts one co-acting with said first spring and one co-acting with said second spring.

8. An insulating contact spring support for a relay, comprising a fiat web, two arms projecting from said web at an angle of substantially 4L5 with the plane of the web, and two wings one extending outwardly from each said arm and each provided with a hole and an integral shoulder.

9. An insulating contact spring support for a relay comprising a flat web provided with a hole and an integral upwardly projecting pin, two parallel arms extending from said web at an angle of approximately 45 with the plane of said web, two wings one integral with the lower end of each of said arm and each provided with a hole and having a plane surface which is inclined at an angle of approximately 15 with the plane of said web, and two shoulders one integral With each said wing.

10. A relay comprising an electromagnet, an armature controlled by said electromag net, a fixed bracket, a stud attached to said bracket for limiting the movement of said armature toward said electromagnet when said electromagnet is energized, and a screw threaded into said bracket and having a. large head extending under the edge of said armature for limiting the movement of said armature away from said bracket when said electromagnet is deenergized.

11. A relay comprising an electromagnet, an armature controlled by said electromagnet, a fixed bracket, a stud fastened to said bracket for engaging one side of said armature at one end of its stroke, and a screw threaded into said bracket adjacent the edge of said armature and having a large head extending under the edge of the armature for engaging the other side of the armature at the other end of its stroke.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

NOBLE C. SHAW. 

